My First Individual RX'd Competiton
by Starke CDP Coach Jon Martens
Photo Credit: Eric Kapilik
Photo Credit: Eric Kapilik
On February 11th I had the
privilege of competing in the Men's Lululemon invitational. This one-day throw
down, which was held at Undefeated Cross fit, was my first Individual Rx competition. It was an amazing event. The
programming was great and the atmosphere was even better.
Going into this competition,
I was very excited. I had always wanted to do an individual competition, and
this was my chance. I tested the workouts that they had announced, and created
strategies to attack them. I was confident with my training leading up and I
believed that I would place well.
When Feb 11th
finally rolled around I was very excited to see how it would go. Thirty high level athletes from across
Manitoba were invited to this event and upon arrival it was clear to see how
deep the field was and how talented these other athletes were.
After all was said and done,
I ended up taking 15th place. When I saw the standings at the end of
the day and realized that I didn’t even make the final heat, I couldn’t help
but be disappointed. I had put in so much work in the prior months in hopes to
make the top ten, or even fight for a podium spot. I felt so frustrated with
the result that I had forgotten about all the progress I had made over the last
two years since I started cross fit.
After pondering my “poor”
performance in the days to follow I came to the realization that there is
nothing I could have done about the situation. I gave one hundred percent
effort in every workout and I did the best I could do. The athletes in higher
positions were more experienced and had been training much longer then I had. It made me realize that I should be
happy with my result because I know how much I have improved since last year.
For me, competitions are not
just about proving my fitness. They are about gaining experience and
understanding where my weaknesses lie. They give me insight into what I need to focus on in the gym,
whether that’s learning a new movement or refining one and making it more
efficient. They also encourage me and motivate me to train. It makes me push harder
knowing how much I can improve myself.
If you have been
contemplating doing your first competition or maybe registering for the open, I
would strongly encourage you to do so. Competitions are way more then just
placement on a leader board. They are there for you to tap into your true
potential and most importantly there to be enjoyed. Don’t take yourself to
seriously and beat yourself down when you don’t place as well as you expected
to. Remember to enjoy the experience and be proud of your efforts.
Happy Training,
Jon Martens
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